ABSTRACT

The aims of this study were to identify genetic polymorphisms of the huntingtin (HTT) gene and to further investigate its association with production performances in two Anhui local chicken breeds. A total of 800 chickens (400 Huangshan black chickens and 400 Huainan partridge chickens) of similar age and weight were evaluated in the present study. We extracted DNA from blood samples and analyzed polymorphisms of HTT gene as wells as possible association with egg production performances including age at first egg (AFE), laying rate (LR), egg production (EP), egg weight (EW), average egg weight (AEW). Two polymorphisms (G50831C and G62976A) were detected and located in exon 42 and intron 54 in HTT gene, respectively. One of them (g. 50831 G>C) was a missense mutation. Genotype and allele frequency analysis showed that SNP G62976A and SNP G50831C of the HTT gene in chicken had some effects on reproduction traits, and the genotype GG was the advantageous genotype. Additionally, four HTT haplotypes (H1: GG; H2: GC; H3: AG; H4: AC) and their frequency distributions were estimated using the phase program. Haplotypes combinations constructed on these two SNPs of HTT gene were associated with some reproduction traits. In particular, diplotype H1H1 had positive effect on reproduction traits, diplotype H2H4 had negative effect of reproduction traits. In conclusion, our study showed that polymorphisms of the HTT gene were significantly associated with egg production traits in two Anhui local chicken breeds, but the suggestions that HTT may be considered as a potential molecular marker for the selection of production performance-related phenotypes in local chicken breeds need to be further verified.